Results tagged “Derby” from SAFC Banter - Join the debate with Sunderland fans, staff writers and club legends

DARYL MURPHY'S injury-time strike was the goal that guaranteed Premier League football on Wearside next season - but Boro's survival scramble will go to the wire.

Murphy's late winner gave the Black Cats a deserved 3-2 win over the Boro at the Stadium of Light - and their first win over the Teessiders on home soil since 2000.

Boro were left kicking themselves at the final whistle as they let Sunderland score another last-gasp goal that cost them dearly.

In September it was Liam Miller who netted an 89th minute equaliser to force a 2-2 draw at the Riverside; yesterday Murphy's strike was even more expensive, sending the visitors back down the A19 empty-handed.

And while Sunderland can allow themselves a sigh of relief after this win, coupled with Birmingham's draw against Liverpool, saw them make mathematically certain of safety, Boro cannot relax just yet.

MURPHY'S Law says that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

And Sunderland fell victim to it with a vengeance at the weekend - not that it will ease the pain of derby defeat on Wearside.

Right from the moment that key defenders Jonny Evans and Phil Bardsley picked up training-ground injuries on Friday, Roy Keane's plans were thrown into disarray.

All he could do was call upon the ring-rusty duo of Paul McShane and Danny Higginbotham - who had not played a first-team game for 12 weeks and seven weeks respectively - to fill in, and Sunderland paid the price.

DERBY COUNTY 0 SUNDERLAND 0

Sunderland missed a golden chance to earn their first away win of the season at the weekend as they were held to a draw by doomed Derby.

The Black Cats created more than enough chances to win but could not convert their dominance into goals.

The closest they came was when Michael Chopra had the ball in the back of the net in the 35th minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside - although TV replays clearly showed the linesman had got it wrong.

Daryl Murphy had hit the inside of the post in the fourth minute and Chopra also put a good headed chance over the bar on the quarter-hour mark.

It's about time Sunderland found a cure for their travel sickness.

Their away record is the worst in the Premiership - in fact, it's the worst in all four pro divisions.

And you have to look down as far down the leagues as Droylsden - propping up the Football Conference - to find another side that has yet to win on the road this season.

Sunderland's home form is fine. In fact it's better than fine, as the Black Cats' record of seven home wins and 24 points from 13 games on home soil is better than any side outside the top seven.

What on Earth happens to the Wearsiders when they head down the A1?

SUNDERLAND 1 DERBY COUNTY 0

Anthony Stokes came off the bench to score an injury-time winner and earn Sunderland three crucial points against relegation rivals Derby.

The Black Cats needed a victory to exorcise the ghost of their 7-1 mauling at Everton last weekend, and they did not disappoint.

This win lifted Sunderland out of the bottom three and gave them their first victory since mid-September but it was a bad start for new Derby boss Paul Jewell.

Sunderland 1 Newcastle United 1

Disappointment reigned supreme after the 138th Wear-Tyne derby at the weekend.

Sunderland and Newcastle fans, divided by allegiance, were united by one emotion - but for very different reasons!

Sunderland fans were disappointed because they know that they should be celebrating a famous derby victory - and would have been doing just that, if only the Black Cats had made their chances count.

Newcastle supporters, however, will look back in anger at the way their side were outplayed, outfought and needed a fluke equaliser to save face.